


Cold and Distant

by Talinor



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, F/F, Fluff and Angst, long distance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-21 10:52:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14283351
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talinor/pseuds/Talinor
Summary: Not much of Allura was visible, but her entire frame was shivering as if it could do nothing else. Covered hands clung to her blankets like one last desperate sanctuary. It was a valiant effort, but Shay could see the truth etched onto every line in Allura's face- it wasn't working. She was still shaking uncontrollably.And yet Allura was still smiling through it. Her crystalline eyes sparkled with the warmth her body didn't seem to possess. "Hello darling," she said with a shaking sense of humor. "I... imagine you have questions."





	Cold and Distant

**Author's Note:**

> tybalt-tisk: Whump Bingo! I have this headcannon that Alteans don’t do so great in cold weather. So Allura, “Shivering long after everyone else has stopped” is something I would love to see. I’m a multi-shipper, so literally anybody else paired with Allura will do it for me.  
> -  
> I made it a bit darker than that, but I hope you enjoy this nevertheless!

It had been a fairly average day on the Balmera. For most of the light hours, nothing really out of the ordinary occurred. The inhabitants of the living planet hustled and bustled about their business to take care of it and the coalition's needs. Unlike the Galra, they never asked for much. It was a welcome change.

Still, the coalition was ever increasing. Their shipments hadn't, but it was still enough to keep most the able-bodied Balmerans busy until dark. Anything for the ones who freed them from Empire shackles.

One of those Balmerans was the one who experienced their liberation firsthand- Shay. She was one to soothe and help heal the Balmera during crystal extraction rituals. Usually the bigger ones, considering her 'importance.' It was an honor and a duty she fulfilled gladly, but really? She enjoyed the simple pleasures of her improved lifestyle.

The warmth of the sun kissing her skin and the beautiful open sky embracing her was all she really needed. Yet she was still lucky enough to receive one more simple pleasure to her list- her recent girlfriend, Allura.

Not to imply that the Altean Princess was simple. Not by any possible means, no. She was as stunningly spectacular as the space beyond the Balmera. Each moment spent in the Blue Paladin's attention was worth more than every currency in the wide Universe to Shay. She could go on for hours about the details she adored about the lovely Princess, but it wasn't necessary.

She simply meant that the anticipation of their dark-hour talks was a constant and welcome new routine in her life. On mid-hours such as these, Shay sat in a particular overseeing spot on the surface of her beloved home with her Altean communicator in hand. She'd wait and watch the light blend and fade out of the crystal-lined horizon. She'd embrace the warmth and silence of evening as her fellow Balmerans eventually abandoned the surface to rest in the cool darkness of their underground homes.

Shay never did unless her family wished so. She adored the sky and the pleasant warmth too much. As she waited for that telltale ring, she passed the time by connecting the stars together in her mind into shapes. Then people, then acts in a longer story. The sky eventually became a tapestry of a story woven only in her mind. Too many were of a valiant Princess with a heart of light and soul of warmth in various efforts to save the Universe with her fellows. She was a leader, a lover, a friend to depend on as long as she knew she could do the same with you. 

It always took her far too long to realize that the heroine of her stories was based off reality.

Really, how could she _not_ fall in love with someone such as that?

With that last thought, the communicator in Shay's hand vibrated and rung with a long-dead song brought back to living memory. She was quick to accept the call, only to meet with a sight that sunk rocks in her heart.

Allura was smiling at her gladly, yet in an exhausted way. Almost as if she had found some sort of refuge after hours of wearily searching. For the first few moments, the video was constantly shaky and out of focus. It took Shay another to realize why that was once it steadied on Allura tucking blue and white-tipped hands back into the bundle of royal blankets wrapped around her. She had simply set her communicator down.

Not much of Allura was visible, but her entire frame was shivering as if it could do nothing else. Covered hands clung to her blankets like one last desperate sanctuary. It was a valiant effort, but Shay could see the truth etched onto every line in Allura's face- it wasn't working. She was still shaking uncontrollably.

And yet Allura was still smiling through it. Her crystalline eyes sparkled with the warmth her body didn't seem to possess. "Hello darling," she said with a shaking sense of humor. "I... imagine you have questions."

Concern flooded Shay with ice-cold waves, pricking at every system in her body. "Princess," she said breathlessly. It took a quick moment for her to remember there was no one else around, so there was no need for formalities. "Allura, what is wrong? What has happened to you?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Allura assured, but it didn't take long to deduce that was less true than she was letting on. "A... simple accident during a mission, that's all." She bashfully combed through her unruly (yet still breathtakingly beautiful) hair with one hand. The blue had almost completely overtaken her fingers and spread down to graze her paling knuckles. It was starting to darken at her fingertips, which Allura didn't seem to notice. The hand quickly returned to the safety of the blankets. "It was my fault, admittedly."

"Really?" Shay quirked up a brow. She didn't believe that for an instant. Allura was too careful to make mistakes that would lead to something such as this. At least, not without some worthy reason or other. "How was it your fault? What happened?"

"We were supposed to protect a colony on Frotask from an Atashe attack," Allura chuckled drily. "You can see how well that turned out."

That... didn't really answer anything for Shay. "What is an Atashe?" And the more important question, "How did it harm you like this?"

Allura's laugh flowed through the air like warm mid-light winds. "Of course you'd ask a question like that," her voice had a teasing edge, but a dull one. It was in jest rather than malice. Likely to raise the taut mood at the moment. "You're the sweetest and kindest person I've ever met. And likely will ever meet afterwards. You know this, right?"

Involuntary warmth rose up in Shay's skin at the compliments. Yet... she couldn't fully enjoy them. At least, not right now. Not while Allura was in such a state, with the slight hint on finality to her words. "Thank you, Allura, but..." She paused. "What is happening to you? Are you...?" She trailed off there.

She couldn't bear to finish such a dreadful thought.

The smile dropped off of her dear Princess' face. The scintillating glimmer in her eyes dimmed to nearly nothing. Pointed ears drooped down along with her mood. "It is... uncertain at the moment," when she spoke, her words were quiet, almost... _frightened._ "The healing pods did all they could, but now... All I can do is wait and let the Atashe's poison run its course."

Shay's breath caught in her throat. She regretted prodding for more information, but she _had to know._ Her heart ached for more answers, no matter how much they stung. So she spoke. "What does the poison do?"

Allura sighed. "It... attempts to nearly freeze your veins," it looked like it hurt to admit such a ghastly thing could happen to her. "Until it either dissolves in your bloodstream in an unpleasant few days, or..." She hugged herself inside the bundle of blankets. Shay could spy a sliver of her blue knuckles. "Puts you in a catatonic state caused by the cold until you freeze to death on your own intestines as they grow colder. A born or acquired sensitivity to cold, as Alteans naturally have, only makes both options much worse."

Shay... had nothing to say in response.

Really, how could one respond to such a horrible fate revealed as a potential one for your beloved? No possible answers came to Shay's mind.

"Why?" was all she could manage. Her vision blurred as the horror rose higher.

"Why did I receive the poison, or why did I call you in such a state?" Allura raised a brow. Her body seemed to tremble even more than before.

All Shay responded with was a nod. Both were very good questions burning at the forefront of her mind.

"First things first," Allura addressed with the best diplomatic tone she could muster. "In summary, we had to fight it on foot. Hunk had temporarily fallen for only a moment, but it was enough for the Atashe to attempt to bite him and inject the poison. I refused to let that happen." She chuckled halfheartedly. "In hindsight, it would have merely bitten his chestplate, which would be too thick for it to penetrate. It bit my torso through my flightsuit. I acted on impulse, and now I am paying the price for it."

"Do not say that," Shay felt an innate need to defend Allura's actions, even if it was from an attack on herself. "You had no way of knowing that in the moment, Allura. You acted on impulse, but selflessly doing so is better than letting it potentially happen to someone else to save your own skin."

Allura's brows raised in slight surprise. For a moment, all she did was stare at Shay as if seeing her in an entirely new way. The expression quickly melted into fond admiration. "That, my universe," she said. "is precisely why I called you."

It was Shay's turn to be surprised. "What do you mean by that?"

"You have a rare and magnificent spirit," Allura told her, trudging through despite her increasing shakiness as she continued to speak. "I knew that ever since the moment we met, and words will never be able to describe how honored I am to have known you. I wanted you to know, in case the latter fate falls upon me, that... some days you are my only driving point. When days drag on, I keep going for the opportunity to speak to you once more. When I wish to keep our goals in perspective, I remind myself that you would not be as you are today if the Galra ruled the universe." Near the end, she struggled not to stutter. Her body shook like the Balmera's aching skin when it felt immense pain. "And I... I realize I've never t-told you that I... I lo..."

That was as far as she managed to get. She repeated it a few more times, in an attempt to get further along with her words, but to no avail. Allura's eyes rolled back and her body fell suit until Shay couldn't see a sign of her anywhere.

"Allura?" Shay whispered in horror, then repeated much louder. _"Allura!"_

The warmth of the dark-hour winds on a planet countless systems away from the one she held dearest was her only answer.

It seemed to taunt her.

**Author's Note:**

> the whump bingo is on my tumblr, so if you want to send in a request like this, just head on over there!  
> comments are always appreciated!  
> my tumblr: squishy--squish


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